Robbery suspect shot, killed by police at Luby's

By Dale Lezon |
April 19, 2012
| Updated: April 19, 2012 9:45pm

It is a desperate person who tries to rob someone with a gun. And it's even a far riskier proposition when the armed robber unwittingly tries to ambush police officers.

Three narcotics officers in plainclothes were meeting Wednesday night in the back of a Luby's Cafeteria parking lot in southeast Houston to discuss a recent operation, said John Cannon, a Houston Police Department spokesman.

Cannon said a man wearing white gloves and a bandana covering part of his face emerged around 11 p.m. from the bushes near where the officers were standing.

The man pointed an automatic pistol at them. The man demanded money and told them to empty their pockets, Cannon said.

As one of the officers was talking to the man, the suspect told the other two officers to move away from a vehicle or he would shoot the officer who was talking to him.

Sgt. L. Bronikowski, a 28-year HPD veteran, opened fire, hitting the suspect. Officer C. Cayton, an 11-year HPD veteran, also fired. The suspect, whose name has not been released, died at the scene.

Cannon said officers told investigators they heard a gunshot which sounded different than their own gunfire and believe the suspect may have fired at least once during the altercation.

Cannon said a man matching the suspect's description reportedly attempted to open a locked door about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at a Taco Bell restaurant at 904 S. Wayside. A person inside the eatery called police. The Taco Bell is a few miles from the shooting scene at 5335 Gulf Freeway near Telephone.